Control Asset Comparative Performance Analysis System and Methodolgy

1. A computer-implemented method of automating the presentation of advice on process control asset performance comprising the steps of: collecting a plurality of datasets of input variable values and output variable values; calculating standard deviations for each of the datasets of input variable values and output variable values; calculating induced variability, by a processor, of each of the datasets of output variable values; calculating output variability of each of the datasets of output variable values; calculating a reduction in variability for at least two processes; and generating advice based on the calculated induced variability, calculated output variability, and reduction in variability of a target process.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , including the additional step of: processing the plurality of datasets of input variable values and output variable values to remove outliers.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the step of processing the input variable values and the output variable values comprises: removing data errors.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , including the additional steps of: rank ordering the processes by overall induced variability and overall output variability; separating the processes into at least one category based on at least one overall variability; and constructing a graph of the processes with at least one category displayed.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , including the additional steps of: displaying the overall induced variability and overall output variability of the target process on the graph.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the step of separating the processes into at least one category based on at least one overall variability comprises: dividing the processes into quartiles based on overall induced variability; and dividing the processes into quartiles based on overall output variability.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the step of constructing a graph of the processes with at least one category displayed comprises: displaying lines dividing the processes into quartiles by overall induced variability; displaying lines dividing the processes into quartiles by overall output variability; and displaying radial lines extending from the origin dividing the processes into quartiles by overall reduction in variability.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , including the additional step of: estimating the combined variability of each of the datasets of input variable values using the calculated standard deviations.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , including the additional step of: calculating a variability ratio for each of the datasets of output variable values.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , including the additional steps of: calculating overall induced variability for at least two processes using the induced variability of the datasets; and calculating overall output variability for at least two processes using the output variability of the datasets.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the variability of the selected output variable values is affected by the variability of the selected input variable values.

12. A computer-implemented method of automating the presentation of advice on control asset performance comprising the steps of: selecting a set of input variables; selecting a set of output variables, wherein the variability of the selected output variable values is affected by the variability of the selected input variable values; collecting a plurality of datasets of input variable values and output variable values for the input variables and the output variables; processing the input variable values and the output variable values to remove outliers; wherein the processing comprises: removing data errors; calculating standard deviations for each of the processed datasets of input variable values and output variable values; estimating combined variability of each of the processed datasets of input variable values; calculating, by a processor, induced variability of each of the processed datasets of output variable values; calculating output variability of each of the processed datasets of output variable values; calculating variability ratio for each of the processed datasets of output variable values; calculating the overall induced variability for at least four processes; calculating the overall output variability for at least four processes; calculating the overall reduction in variability for at least four processes; rank ordering the processes by overall induced variability and overall output variability; separating the processes into at least one category based on at least one overall variability, wherein the categories comprise: quartiles based on overall induced variability, and quartiles based on overall output variability; constructing a graph of the processes units with at least one category displayed, wherein the graph comprises: lines dividing the processes into quartiles by overall induced variability, lines dividing the processes into quartiles by overall output variability, and radial lines extending from the origin dividing the processes into quartiles by overall reduction in variability; displaying the overall induced variability and overall output variability of a target process on the graph; and generating advice based on the category of the target process.

13. A system comprising: a server, comprising: a processor, and a storage subsystem; a database stored by the storage subsystem comprising: input and output data; a computer program stored by the storage subsystem, when executed causing the processor to: collect a plurality of datasets of input variable values and output variable values; calculate standard deviations for each of the datasets of input variable values and output variable values; calculate induced variability of each of the datasets of output variable values; calculate output variability of each of the datasets of output variable values; calculate a reduction in variability for at least two processes; and generate advice based on the calculated induced variability, calculated output variability, and reduction in variability of a target process.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the computer program, when executed, further causes the processor to: process the input variable values and the output variable values to remove outliers.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processing of the input variable values and the output variable values by the computer program comprises: removal of data errors.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the computer program, when executed, further causes the processor to: rank order the processes by overall induced variability and overall output variability; separate the processes into at least one category based on at least one overall variability; and construct a graph of the process variability with at least one category displayed.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the computer program, when executed, further causes the processor to: display overall induced variability and overall output variability of the target process on the graph.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the separation of the processes at least one category based on at least one overall variability comprises: divide the processes into quartiles based on overall induced variability; and divide the processes into quartiles based on overall output variability.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the graph of the processes with at least one category displayed comprises: display lines dividing the processes into quartiles by overall induced variability; display lines dividing the processes into quartiles by overall output variability; and display radial lines extending from the origin dividing the processes into quartiles by overall reduction in variability.

20. The system of claim 13 , wherein the computer program, when executed, further causes the processor to: estimate combined variability of each of the processed datasets of input variable values using the calculated standard deviations.

21. The system of claim 13 , wherein the computer program, when executed, further causes the processor to: calculate a variability ratio for each of the processed datasets of output variable values.

22. The system of claim 13 , wherein the computer program, when executed, further causes the processor to: calculate overall induced variability for at least two processes using the induced variability of the datasets; and calculate overall output variability for at least two processes using the output variability of the datasets.

23. The system of claim 13 , wherein the variability of the selected output variable values is affected by the variability of the selected input variable values.

24. A system comprising: a server, comprising: a processor, and a storage subsystem; a database stored by the storage subsystem comprising: input and output data; a computer program stored by the storage subsystem, when executed causing the processor to: select a set of input variables; select a set of output variables, wherein the variability of the selected output variable values is affected by the variability of the selected input variable values; collect a plurality of datasets of input variable values and output variable values for the input variables and the output variables; process the input variable values and the output variable values to remove outliers, wherein the processing comprises: removing data errors; calculate standard deviations for each of the processed datasets of input variable values and output variable values; estimate the combined variability of each of the processed datasets of input variable values using the calculated standard deviations; calculate the induced variability of each of the processed datasets of output variable values using the calculated standard deviations; calculate the output variability of each of the processed datasets of output variable values using the calculated standard deviations; calculate the variability ratio for each of the processed datasets of output variable values using the induced and output variabilities; calculate the overall induced variability for at least four processes using the induced variability of the processed datasets; calculate the overall output variability for at least four processes using the output variability of the processed datasets; calculate the overall reduction in variability for at least four processes using the induced and output variabilities; rank order the processes by overall induced variability and overall output variability; separate the processes into at least one category based on at least one overall variability, wherein the categories comprise: quartiles based on overall induced variability, and quartiles based on overall output variability; constructing a graph of the processes with at least one category displayed, wherein the graph comprises: lines dividing the processes into quartiles by overall induced variability, lines dividing the processes into quartiles by overall output variability, and radial lines extending from the origin dividing the processes into quartiles by overall reduction in variability; display the overall induced variability and overall output variability of a target process on the graph; and generate advice based on the category of the target process.

25. A computer-implemented method for determining the amount of induced variability of variables in a process comprising the steps of: collecting a plurality of datasets of input variable values and output variable values; calculating standard deviations for each of the datasets of input variable values and output variable values: and determining, by a processor, induced variability of each of the datasets of output variable values; calculating output variability of each of the datasets of output variable values; calculating variability ratio for each of the datasets of output variable values; and calculating overall reduction in variability for a process.

26. A system comprising: a server, comprising: a processor, and a storage subsystem; a database stored by the storage subsystem comprising: input and output data; a computer program stored by the storage subsystem, when executed causing the processor to: collect a plurality of datasets of input variable values and output variable values; calculate standard deviations for each of the datasets of input variable values and output variable values; and determine induced variability of each of the datasets of output variable values; calculate the output variability of each of the processed datasets of output variable values; calculate the variability ratio for each of the processed datasets of output variable values; and calculate the overall reduction in variability for a process.